Enhancing Vivarium Efficiency and Safety at South Dakota State University with a Modernized Pass-Through Autoclave

项目总结/摘要 南达科他州州立大学的共用动物研究设施（动物饲养场） （SDSU）旨在改善工作人员的职业健康和安全，并支持 能力和生物医学研究的各种安装现代化的，大型的 容量通过式高压灭菌器。目前的小型单门型高压灭菌器已接近 使用寿命超过20年，维护成本增加。这种增加的 故障风险或因维护而延长的停机时间可能会危及研究 项目，包括那些由1080万美元的NIH COBRE第1阶段奖励支持的项目。 SDSU动物园支持从生物学， 化学、药学、兽医学和动物科学。人中 在NIH的支持下，SDSU研究人员目前领导了10个项目，耗资530多万美元， 活跃奖项（NIH Reporter，2022年11月4日访问）。超过一半的资金 支持目前使用动物园进行研究的研究人员。动物园的 现代化工作不仅是由NIH资助的研究人员的需求驱动的， 使用共用设施的研究者的总体需求。该大学 作为回应，投资于生物医学研究所需的基础设施并将其列为优先事项。 具体而言，33，495平方英尺的设施支持BSL 1，BSL 2，BSL 2+（BSL = 生物安全水平）和该大学的非生物性动物研究计划 和周围的研究社区。大学兽医，动物园 经理和技术人员直接与研究人员在日常和正在进行的研究工作 支持需求。服务包括一系列的选择，从基本的动物护理和育种 菌落管理，以完成gnotobiotic和手术服务。该大学的 改善研究基础设施的战略优先事项指导了 近年来，该设施一直需要高水平的监督和管理， 大学兽医和动物园工作人员。 在现代化的高压灭菌器，一个核心设备，动物园将增加 生物安全、动物福利和合规、员工劳动力和支持方面的效率 服务、设备操作和维护。这将为研究人员提供更多 综合利用动物园，扩大项目的机会， 提高能力，以支持大学不断增长的生物医学研究。

Project Summary/Abstract The shared-use animal research facility (vivarium) at South Dakota State University (SDSU) aims to improve occupational health and safety of staff and support growing the capacity and variety of biomedical research with the installation of a modern, large capacity pass-through autoclave. The current small, single-door model autoclave is near end-of-life with 20+ years of service and increased maintenance costs. This increased risk of failure or extended downtime due to maintenance could jeopardize research projects, including those supported by a $10.8 million NIH COBRE Phase 1 award. The SDSU vivarium supports research across multiple disciplines from biology, chemistry, and pharmacy to veterinary medicine and animal science. Among those supported by NIH, SDSU investigators currently lead 10 projects with $5.3+ million in active awards (NIH RePORTER, accessed Nov. 4, 2022). More than half of this funding supports investigators who currently use the vivarium for their research. The vivarium’s modernization effort is driven by not only the needs of NIH-funded investigators’ but of the overall needs of investigators using the shared-use facility. The university has responded with investing in and prioritizing infrastructure for biomedical research needs. Specifically, the 33,495-square foot facility supports BSL1, BSL2, BSL 2+ (BSL = Biological Safety Levels) and gnotobiotic animal research programs for the university and surrounding research community. The university veterinarian, the vivarium manager, and technicians work directly with researchers in daily and on-going research support needs. Services include a range of options from basic animal care and breeding colony management to complete gnotobiotic and surgical services. The university’s strategic priority of improving research infrastructure guides the modernization of the facility in recent years and has required a high level of oversight and management by the university veterinarian and vivarium staff. In modernizing the autoclave, a core piece of equipment, the vivarium will increase efficiencies in biosecurity, animal welfare and compliance, staff labor and support services, equipment operations and maintenance. This will provide researchers more comprehensive use of the vivarium, opportunity for expanding their projects, and increased capacity to support the university’s growing biomedical research.